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black beans

Sometimes it’s nice to not have a plan. My husband and I set out this weekend with only one goal – get our fur baby his favorite treats. Anything else was just an adventure. These days are usually my favorite since we can end up anywhere or find some awesome hidden gem. These days aren’t glamorous or as thrilling as a roller coaster ride, but I love them. It’s time that we get to spend just chatting about random topics while having fun.

To fuel our adventure day, we choose a classic favorite – Chipotle. I am pretty sure the entire world is in love with Chipotle at this point. It’s great for my family since I can easily eat vegan while my husband can get his carnivore fix. My favorite combination, pictured to the right, is a burrito bowl with white rice, black beans, fajita vegetables, pico de gallo, corn salsa and lots of guacamole! A little secret for you – if you don’t get a meat in your bowl, guac is FREE! I mean who doesn’t want free guac on everything!? They do have a vegan meat alternative that is delicious and tofu based. You may have even tried it by accident already! That option is sofritas which is braised with chipotle chilies, poblanos, and other spices according to their website.

Below is a list of all the vegan options at Chipotle to help you make your favorite combination. The allergen page on Chipotle’s website lists every vegan item as well.

Part 3 of the Friday mini series addressing the fears of a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle focuses on the #1 asked question when people find out that I don’t eat meat anymore – But where do you get your protein?! Click to read part 1 and part 2!

Are you worried you’ll never get enough protein for those gains you’re working on?

Our society has become obsessed with protein specifically animal based. Between the meat counters at the supermarket, whey protein shakes of every flavor and even protein infused vodka, there is a high demand for animal products to support a high protein – low carb lifestyle. As a weight loss surgery patient, I lived this life for several years and I felt miserable. I was instructed by a nutritionist in connection with my surgeon on what I should consume in my new post-op life. My nutrition instruction was based largely on a diabetic diet. I only met with her for approximately 30 minutes once before surgery and never afterwards. I was given instructions to consume a minimum of 75 grams of firm animal based protein each day starting each meal with the protein first and, if I still had hunger, I could have some vegetables or fruit. While the surgery did help me lose a significant amount of my excess weight, I just wasn’t happy with the way I felt.

When I started transitioning to a vegetarian lifestyle, I was still obsessed with calculating my protein grams each day. How could I survive without protein? I know how silly this thought process was now. The USDA recommends 5 ounces of protein for a woman in my age range which is far less than what I was consuming each day. My blood work started to suffer from my diet as well. For the first time in my life, my cholesterol was starting to rise enough to concern my doctor and discuss medication. In an attempt to eliminate having to take medication, I started taking meat out of my diet. Below is a standard formula for the recommended protein grams that you need per day.

Formula for protein grams:

Body weight (in pounds) x 0.36 = Recommended Protein (in grams)

I started first by researching more on the nutrition of fruits, vegetables and grains and changing my mindset. I was so tired of my diet and knew there was no way I could eat this way for the rest of my life. My research led me to protein grams first naturally given my previous mindset.

I traded in bacon, steak, chicken and eggs for tofu, beans, pasta, broccoli and meat alternatives. I’ve never felt better! Now I know I get my recommended protein grams without even trying and I focus more on getting the recommended 35 grams of fiber per day instead. Below shows some examples of vegan foods and their protein grams. As you’ll see, it is so easy (and yummy!) to get your daily recommended protein grams cruelty free plus fiber!